AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BODY PIERCING AND TATTOOING AMONG ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT  This study was carried out to determine the awareness of health risks associated with body piercing and tattooing among undergraduate students in Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).  Five objectives were set (to ascertain the students awareness of health risks associated with body piercing and tattooing, to determine the students practice of body piercing and tattooing, to determine students reason for body piercing and tattooing, to determine students attitude towards body piercing and tattooing, to determine influence of knowledge on their practice). 342 students were used, 379 questionnaires were developed and shared by the researcher according to the stated objectives.  The study showed that 258 (75.4%) of students are aware that tattoo/body piercing can constitute a health risk while 84 (24.6%) are not aware. 142 (55.0%) of the respondent endorsed HIV/AIDs as the health risk, 72 (27.9%) tetanus, 10 (3.9%) hepatitis, 33 (12.8%) pruritus (itching) while 86 (33.3%) skin injury as the health injury that can result from body piercing/tattooing. 69 (20.2%) have tattoo/body pierced while 273 (79:8%) neither tattooed/pierced.  The major reason for students body piercing and tattooing were for self identity.  235 (68.7) of the respondent consider tattoo/body piercing indecent.  However, knowledge greatly affect their practice, on this not health education, workshops seminar on health risk associated with body piercing and tattooing were the recommendations made by the researcher.   
TABLE OF CONTENT Title Page           Certification Page          Acknowledgement         Table of Contents          List of Tables          Abstract           ¬ CHAPTER ONE:  INTRODUCTION  1.1 Background of the Study  1.2 Statement of Problem 1.3 Purpose of the Study  1.4 Objectives of the Study 1.5 Research Questions  1.6 Significance of Study  1.7 Scope of Study  1.8 Operational Definition of Terms 
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW   2.1 Historical Perspective of Body Piercing Tattooing   2.2 Common Complications arising from Body Piercing and Tattooing 2.3 Prevention of Complication arising from Body Piercing and Tattooing 2.4 Theoretical Framework      2.5 Empirical Studies 2.6 Summary of the Literature Review
CHAPTER THREE:  RESEARCH METHODOLOGY      3.1 Research Design  3.2 Area of Study 3.3 Target Population  3.4 Sampling Technique  3.5 Instrument for Data Collection  3.6 Validity of Instrument  3.7 Reliability of Instrument  3.8 Sample size  3.9 Ethical Consideration  3.10 Method of Data Collection  3.11 Method of Data Analysis 
CHAPTER FOUR:  PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA     4.1 Result  4.2 Analysis of Research Questions 
CHAPTER FIVE  5.1 Discussion of Major findings 5.2 Implications of findings  5.3 Summary  5.4 Conclusion 5.5 Recommendations  5.6 Limitation of Study 5.7 Suggestions for Further Study  References   Appendix 1   Questionnaire